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She then proceeded to tell him about Michael Edwards, the daughter he’d kidnapped, and how she’d found the courage and fortitude to not only draw her weapon, but pull the trigger to save Lily’s life—without second-guessing herself.
A tremulous smile curved her lips. “And the best thing is, I walked away from the situation with absolutely no regrets.”
“I know, and I was so damn proud of you for what you did,” he said softly and with a wealth of satisfaction shining in his eyes. “And I got the impression that your brothers are proud of you, too.”
Both Cole and Noah had been extremely supportive and, yes, proud of what she’d done. Then it dawned on her that Dean was already aware of her accomplishment. “You knew all this?” she asked incredulously. “How?”
His shoulders rolled in a lazy shrug. “Noah called to tell me what happened, thinking I’d want to come back to Oakland and be there for you.”
Her chest tightened, and she stated the obvious. “But you didn’t come back.”
“No, I didn’t.” He stood and closed the space separating them. “For one very good reason.”
“And what reason is that?” she asked, her voice hoarse.
“This time, you had to be the one to come to me,” he said, caressing the tips of his fingers along her cheek, his touch like a healing balm to her soul. “And I knew you couldn’t do that until you were ready to admit that we had a future together.”
Her entire body shuddered with relief, but her fingers remained clutched around the edge of the counter behind her. “I’m here now.” Her simple words said it all.
He smiled gently, his eyes turning a warm, patient hue of green. “So you are.”
He wanted more, and she gave him everything she had, all the honesty in her heart, knowing she had nothing left to lose. “I’m not completely over my fears and insecurities, but I can deal with anything so long as you’re by my side. You’re the reason I found the courage to believe in myself and pull that trigger.”
“I had nothing to do with it, sweetheart,” he refuted, seemingly not wanting to take any credit. “I always knew you possessed the strength to trust in your own instincts. I’m just glad it didn’t take you long to figure it out for yourself.”
She licked her dry lips, and willed her racing heart to calm. “And right now, those same instincts are telling me that I can’t live without you.”
He tipped his head, his gaze locking on hers. “Are they telling you anything else?”
“Yeah, they are.” Need and longing swelled within her, and she didn’t hesitate to embrace the feeling, or share it with this incredible man who’d changed her life for the better. “I love you, Dean Colter. And I’m not about to compound my mistakes by letting you go.”
He framed her face in his big hands and smiled at her with the kind of deep, abiding emotions that knew no bounds. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear, Joelle Sommers.”
Lowering his head, he sealed their lips, kissing her deeply, thoroughly, hungrily, until she melted in his arms and let him have his way with her mouth.
“So, what are we going to do about us?” he asked in between soft, lingering kisses along her lips, her jaw.
She threaded her fingers through the silky hair at the nape of his neck, reveling in the texture and warmth. “That all depends on you and where you want to live,” she said, her tone breathless. “I’ll follow you anywhere.”
“Do you have any objections to me following you right back to Oakland?” he murmured.
His hot breath fanned against her skin, making her shiver and arousing her from head to toe. “You would do that?”
“Oh, absolutely. Just try and keep me away,” he growled against her neck, then skimmed his lips up toward her ear and nibbled on her lobe. “I can commute until the sale of the business is finalized, but once that’s done, I’m all yours.”
Happiness bloomed like a new and fresh start for her. “Oh, I do like the sound of that.”
He pulled back, and while his hands remained tangled in her hair, his gaze sought hers. “What about your brothers? Everything okay there?”
She nodded. “We’ve come to an understanding about me, my abduction cases, and what I can handle. A compromise if you will,” she said with a sassy grin. “I think my brothers know exactly where I stand, and if they don’t, I have no problem telling them.”
He chuckled. “That’s my girl. By the way, where are you hiding my birthday present?”
“Under my clothes.”
He waggled his brows provocatively as his hands slid down her back and over her bottom. “Do I get to unwrap you?”
“Not this time.” She moved out of his embrace and gently pushed him back toward his chair until he was once again sitting in the wooden seat. Then she took a few steps back to give him the best possible view of her presentation. “I believe I owe you a striptease for your birthday, the one you were expecting when I first took you into custody.” She began unbuttoning her blouse and winked at him.
